Moontown

Rev Al Miller (left) and his lawyers Leslie Campbell (centre) and Wentworth Charles have last-minute discussions outside the Organised Crime Investigation Division offices in downtown Kingston moments before being quizzed by cops last month. - Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer

Philip Hamilton, Gleaner Writer

ONE member of the Reverend Al Miller’s legal counsel, Leslie Campbell, has suggested that the charge of harbouring a fugitive, brought against his client, defies logic.

“Perhaps the media ought to concentrate on establishing in their own minds as to who is a fugitive, and whether or not it is possible to harbour a fugitive on a public highway at 2:30 in the afternoon,” said Campbell yesterday after the clergyman pleaded not guilty to charges brought against him.

Miller, head of the Fellowship Tabernacle, was charged with perverting the course of justice and harbouring a fugitive arising out of an incident which led to the capture of Jamaica’s most-wanted man, Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke.

When Miller appeared before the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court in Half-Way Tree, St Andrew, prosecutors told Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey that on June 22, Miller was observed in Bog Walk, St Catherine, driving a motor vehicle which was being escorted by two other cars, heading towards the Spanish Town toll road.

miller ’sped off’

The prosecution said the police attempted to stop Miller twice, but he sped off before being later stopped by the cops. The court was then told that the police discovered a man in disguise in the car with the clergyman. The man in disguise was Coke, for whom the security forces had been searching for nearly one month.

The prosecution said Miller told the police he had been transporting Coke to the United States Embassy.

Yesterday, it was a confident-looking Miller, along with his counsel, Campbell and Wentworth Charles, who turned up for the court hearing, which lasted ten minutes. The matter has been adjourned until July 27.

The lawyers have vowed to vigorously defend their client and establish his innocence.

Meanwhile, a smiling Miller, on emerging from the courtroom, declined journalists’ requests for interviews. However, members of his congregation who turned up to support him did not mind speaking.

“There is no government who would want to be adverse in legislating anything that would affect its relationship with the community, especially when you look at the security forces. There are a lot of people who distrust the security forces and we are the hope,” the Reverend Dr Glen George Wilson of the Christian Pastoral Committee said.

Miller has said he was transporting Coke to the US authorities as the toppled Tivoli Gardens don said he was not comfortable in the custody of local police.

philip.hamilton@gleanerjm.com

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Germany had an easier than expected 4-0 win over Argentina on Saturday, reaching the World Cup semifinals and sending both Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona home.

Miroslav Klose scored two of the goals, taking his World Cup record to 14 in three tournaments. The 14 goals equals the German record, held by Gerd Mueller. Brazil striker Ronaldo has the record with 15 goals.

Thomas Mueller gave Germany the lead with a third-minute header, and Klose celebrated his 100th international appearance with a simple tap-in in the 68th minute as Germany outplayed the Argentine defense.

Arne Friedrich raced all the way up from defense to strike home the third goal in the 74th, and Klose scored his second in the 89th.(Jamaica Gleaner)

Two of the four construction workers injured after falling from a balcony while working on the Limegrove Lifestyle Centre in Holetown, St James, are back out to work, says Roger Gall, safety and health manager at Rotherley Construction Inc.
Gall said that while the men were “all improving”, “two are still at home receiving therapy”. They are expected to be back on the job by September or October.
Addressing the issue of safety on the job, Gall stated: “We did all we could have done because the incident was unforeseen. We have a safety programme, so we do all in our power to make sure everyone is safe.”
Gall further said that contrary to reports carried in the Press, the sign involved in the accident was not a 400-pound one. It actually weighed less than 200 pounds, he said.
One of the workers, Kenny Ash, who sustained mainly head injuries, is happy to be back on the job although he is “still getting headaches and much pain”. (FM) (Nation News)

Back-to-school fever is in the air.
Although the new school term is set to begin in September, people are already in Bridgetown busily seeking out school materials.
Textbooks seem to be at the top of the list, and manager of Days Book Store, Keith Austin, reported that some of his shop’s books were already sold out, most of them being English books.
He added that it was a “normal thing” to see early shoppers, and on a daily basis he was seeing a “steady crowd” of people coming into the store.
At Brydens Retail Inc., one of the popular back to school shops, there were many shoppers yesterday.
“On average, more than 200 people can be seen coming into the store on a daily basis,” said manager John Holder. He added that the early shopping was a regular occurrence, with people buying school materials such as pens and pencils, although the main focus was textbooks.
Cloister Bookstore, another popular spot, got off to an early start. “Last Friday, the first day of vacation, back to school shopping had started and the store was really full,” said manager Joyce McQuilkin.
The hunt for school uniforms also contributed to the back to school fever. Mapps Factory Outlet, in Tweedside Road, and Uniforms Unlimited, in Black Rock, both reported increased sales.
On Broad Street, at School Supplies, upstairs Cave Shepherd, people gathered around to buy material for school uniforms. Supervisor Carolyn Rose said: “Some people prefer to get material rather than buy ready-made uniforms because the child may be tall,” adding that the store was seeing a lot more shoppers doing early shopping than last year.
The schools most represented among shoppers were Luther Thorne, Charles F. Broome Memorial Primary and Christ Church Foundation. (GS) (Nation News)

Economist Clyde Mascoll has advised the local insurance industry to be innovative since the immediate future is going to be extremely challenging for financial advisors.

Speaking yesterday at the Barbados Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors’ (BARAIFA) 37th annual awards ceremony at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, he said insurance companies should create products which “see the future as more optimistic than the present”.
“Even though it is not explicitly stated, it is self-evident that the performance of the industry is somewhat correlated to the state of the economy and we are in an economic recession that is not likely to turn around before the end of 2011,” Mascoll said.
He suggested that an innovative viewpoint will prevent the industry from offering high interest yielding products and plans that could not be realised.
“Instead, a sensible investment product that starts with a low interest rate and anticipates a rising interest rate regime in the medium term seems rather more realistic,” Mascoll said.

Economic growth
The former Government minister noted that although the recession would officially be declared over after two consecutive quarters of economic growth, this meant very little to the average man.
“It is the disposable income of the individual that allows him to make an investment in a product or plan and so when the economy records two quarters of consecutive growth, it does not translate into increased spending power for the average worker,” he stated.
Mascoll said that while the unemployment rate had not yet soared because of some degree of corporate responsibility being practised by the private sector, several workers were earning less because of shorter work hours and this would add to the “reputational damage” with which financial advisors were being confronted.

Mortgage demands
He added that the industry as a whole would need to be stimulated through Government policy, which might come indirectly via initiatives to spur the demand for mortgages and loans.
“Further measures to encourage investment in corporate shares may assist in driving the industry and the level of indebtedness of Government would surely provide opportunities for more investment in Government bonds and debentures,” he said.
(NB) (Nation News)

SEVERAL SUPERMARKETS have revealed that they are being hurt by a double whammy – bounced cheques and stolen shopping carts.
Both are increasingly costing supermarkets dearly, but these expenses cannot be passed on to consumers.
David Neilands, managing director of Super Centre Limited, conceded that his chain loses at least 30 trolleys in about six months, particularly at the Warrens branch.
“It is something that we try to police,” said Neilands.
As for losses from bounced cheques, though Neilands could not give any definitive word, he said the company was trying to counter this by putting different measures in place.
“We are asking for a lot more ID, particularly with credit cards,” said Neilands, noting that this was also for the protection of customers as people could use others’ cards.
A spokesperson for Carlton Supermarket in Black Rock said they were hit by both of these occurrences.
“Bounced cheques are a problem. It is growing, especially in these harsh economic times,” she said.
She also revealed that trolleys cost them between BDS$300 and BDS$500 each, and they were losing quite a few.
“We try as much as possible to guard our trolleys,” she said, but declined to say how many they lose.
One retailer that has solved the bounced cheque problem by not accepting any personal cheques, Pricesmart, conceded that they had not been able to stop the carts from disappearing.
“I see our trolleys in Warrens, Eden Lodge, even as far as Oistins,” one Pricesmart manager told SATURDAY SUN on condition of anonymity.
A cart could cost about US$300 plus, the manager added.
“At night we ensure that all the carts are locked in the bay, but during the day it is very hard to control,” the manager added.
“We sell goods at minimum profit,” the manager said, “so the company would definitely feel the burn if it constantly has to replace shopping carts.”
Phillip Gooding, general manager of Lionel C. Hill Supermarket, said he had seen a “dramatic increase” in bounced cheques.
“Once upon a time, it would be two to three cheques a month, now it is two to three a week,” he said.
“We stopped taking cheques for that same reason,” said a manager at Young’s Supermarket on Baxters Road.
Only Government agencies and “big recognised companies” are allowed to pay with cheques.The management of Jordan’s Supermarket indicated that bounced cheques were formerly a “big problem,” but now more customers were using debit cards instead of cheques. (SP/FM)(Nation News)